Starting over

#30 Presumed Dead

Naruto POV

I woke up, just to see the other Anbu already dressed up. I quickly got dressed too, before Cat and Dragon went out to go and get something to eat. "You know that you are not allowed to come with us for the fighting.", Fly said sealing some Kunai into a seal on her bracelet. "I know, but I already have a lot planned so I need to be up early.", I said, knowing that Rasa had set a meeting with me and the third, before we had set off towards Konoha yesterday. "Hm, just make sure that you don't get involved into the fight. After all it's the Kazekage's order.", she said before Cat and Dragon came back with Dango. We are together and then we went out of our hotel room and headed towards the Hokage's office. When we arrived at the office we saw twelve of Konoha's Anbu stand at attention in front of their kage. The third saw us and motioned for us to step forward. "Alright everyone, this here is team alpha from Sunagakure who will be assisting you in this mission.", he introduced us. "My lord, I'm sorry to interrupt, but didn't you say that there would only be three additional Shinobi accompanying us?", othe Anbu with a dog mask asked. Because of his mask and his greyish white hair, I immediately knew that this Anbu was Kakashi, my former teacher and a friend of mine in the other timeline. "Don't worry dog, he won't come with you, he is part of team alpha but he does not participate in fighting.", the third Hokage answered. This earned a few weird looks in my direction before someone spoke up. "I wonder why you he is in their team then...", an Anbu with a cat-like mask said, staring at me with narrowed eyes. "I am, together with our squad leader, responsible for scouting the area and for the tactical plan for every mission. And it should not be a concern to you how Sunagakure forms their Anbu squads.", I spoke up, earning a few more widened eyes. "No offense, but your voice sounds like that of a child.", Dog spoke again, chuckling. I smiled behind my mask, while Hiruzen narrowed his eyes at me. "You never know what talent is developing in other villages.", I said cryptically. "Alright that's enough. These Anbu are here as our guests and do not have to stand trial. They could very much just go home and not help you with your mission.", Hiruzen said strictly. His Anbu immediately went stiff and looked at their Hokage. "Ok, you are dismissed, get to know the Anbu from Suna, come up with a plan and then go and do your mission.", he ordered and the Anbu all went out of his office. "Aren't you coming?", Fly asked already at the door. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing.", I smiled at my captain, before she went out of the door.

"Ok, so what is this? Your Kazekage said that I should talk to you in private, because you would have something interesting for me.", Hiruzen said. "I agree I think we should do this in private. Without the Anbu listening.", I said, smiling at the Hokage. He waved his hand and an Anbu appeared out of nowhere. "My lord I don't think it would be a good idea to stay alone in the same room as an enemy Anbu.", the Anbu said. Hiruzen just shot him an angry look, effectively shutting him up, and dismissed him again. Before the Anbu had time to jump away I spoke up. "If you don't want to leave your Hokage alone with me, get Anko Mitarashi. She is allowed to listen, since I need to talk to her anyways.", I said. The Anbu immediately called for one of the Shinobi, guarding the office's door, to get Anko. But he himself stayed at the Hokage's side until Anko arrived.

Once Anko had arrived and the masked Shinobi disappeared with another suspicious look at me. Anko looked questioning at Hiruzen while he looked at me, waiting for me to explain the situation. "Now, what I am about to tell you two is regarded as a crime in Sunagakure, because we don't usually give away the identity of our Anbu, and I am only able to tell you because I have a special permission from the Kazekage, since this is a special case.", I started, I saw in Sarutobi's eyes that he still was trying to figure out who I was, while Anko just stood there surprised and confused. "But first let me ask you something. What do you know of Naruto Uzumaki?", my question had a rather unexpected reaction. Anko's expression turned from confused to a mixture between sad and mad while Hiruzen just narrowed his eyes at the mentioning of my name. "He was banished from the leaf around two years ago, we received messages that he had found a new home in Sunagakure. But after a few months there was an attack in Suna and Naruto died, Danzo had his spies confirm that.", Hiruzen answered with a single tear rolling down his face. "So you trusted the one man, that you have ordered to be killed?", I asked a little surprised at the silliness of this. Hiruzen widened his eyes in shock as he realized what I was implying. "What happened tp you after he was banished?", I asked Anko who had been quiet this whole time. "Well, Danzo made me responsible for Naruto being able to undo his chakra restriction seal. So he had me punished for not applying it properly and he had started this rumor that I had helped the 'demon boy' escaped, so almost everyone casted me out. They even sometimes refused to let me inside their stores.", she recounted with tears in her eyes. "After he died they mostly just ignored me, it was hard at first but I managed and after some time I had accustomed myself with their treatment. All in all it could be worse but it could definitely be better.", she continued with tears streaming down her face. I just could not take the sight of someone who had supported me, even if it was just as little as being sad that I had been banished. So I walked up to her and hugged her around her waist. She looked, surprised, down on me but hugged me back nonetheless. After she had calmed down again I turned to the Hokage. "What did the rest of the village do since Naruto was banished?", I asked further. "Why do you care? It's not like it matters anymore. Who are you anyways to ask such questions.", Hiruzen asked back, slightly angry.